BBOG commends FG, military

The Bring Back our Girls (BBOG) group has commended the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian Military in securing the release of 21 abducted Chibok girls.

Mrs Oby Ezekwesili, the Convener of BBOG, on Thursday expressed the group’s gratitude on her Twitter handle from London.

Ezekwesili said the group was using this development as a point of contact for the remaining 197 girls.

“With tears of unspeakable joy at the release of 21 of our Chibok girls, we cry out and use them as point of contact for the rest of 197.

“We, BBOG, are thanking our soldiers in the frontline of battle. You have given and keep giving us so much hope and sacrifices; we wait for the Federal Government for release of the remaining girls,’’ she said.

On his part, the BBOG Spokesman, Mr Abubakar Abdullahi, also commended the efforts of government and security agencies for the release of the girls.

“We welcome the development; we are delighted on the release of the girls.

“We thank the government and people have been on negotiation team, security agencies and all those who are part of their release.

“We want government to continue to work to ensure their safety and we urge the international community to support government in the release of 197 Chibok girls,’’ he said.

However, Abdullahi called for psycho-social support rehabilitation for the girls for them to live normal lives, saying government should provide the support.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quotes Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, as saying the release of the girls was the outcome of negotiations between the federal government and the sect.

Shehu said the negotiations were brokered by the International Red Cross, Red Crescent Movement and the Swiss Government, adding that the negotiations would continue.

He said the released girls would soon be handed over to Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo by the Department of State Service.

NAN recalls that President Muhammadu Buhari had solicited the assistance of the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon in negotiations with Boko Haram for the release of the girls.

In May, one of the more than 200 girls kidnapped from their school dormitory on April 14, 2014, escaped from their captors with her baby.